×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Wednesday
12
Aug 2026
weather symbol
Athens 29°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Paper straws contain toxic ‘forever chemicals’ — could be worse than plastic: study

The new research comes following multiple initiatives enforced by numerous US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban disposable plastic suckers

Newsroom August 28 06:26

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

It could be the straw that broke the eco-worrier’s back.

Paper straws might not be the “eco-friendly” drinking tube they’ve been promoted to be: Belgian researchers found that these so-called “green” utensils are toxic and therefore potentially worse for the environment than their much-vilified plastic counterparts, according to a new study published in the journal Food Additives & Contaminants.

“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” Thimo Groffen, Ph.D., study author and an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said in a statement. “However, the presence of PFAS [poly- and perfluoroalkyl-based substances known as “forever chemicals” because they last for a long time before breaking down] in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”

The new research comes following multiple initiatives enforced by numerous US cities, including New York, and restaurant chains to ban disposable plastic suckers comprised of polypropylene and polystyrene, which take hundreds of years to decompose and are linked to health problems from liver problems to birth defects.

“Their time has come and gone. I believe we should get rid of plastic straws,” NYC Mayor de Blasio said in 2018 after the City Council introduced a proposal to prohibit restaurants and bars from distributing plastic sippers.

>Related articles

Over 90 specializations and 860 programs announced for Greece’s public higher vocational training schools in 2026–2027

Work stress keeps seven in ten people over-50 awake at night

The 5 regions of Greece most popular among foreign retirees

more at nypost.com

also read

Pfizer Documents Show COVID-19 Vaccines Contain Potentially Harmful ‘Modified’ RNA, Not mRNA

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#climate#paper straws#plastic straws#study
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Watch video from the solar eclipse, which Iceland and Spain experienced at 100%visibility

August 12, 2026

USS Abraham Lincoln crew pushed to breaking point after 9 months at sea: Sailors try to jump overboard

August 12, 2026

New e-Special Civil Registry lets Greeks abroad file life events online

August 12, 2026

Watch the solar eclipse live online: Iceland and Spain will experience it in its entirety

August 12, 2026

From ‘shadow fleet’ to ship seizures: where does Russia’s new threat lead for Greece

August 12, 2026

Donousa: The Small Cyclades at Their Wildest

August 12, 2026

Teenager death in Kimolos: Bathroom was outside main house, says mayor – the moment he grabbed the “showerhead”he was gone

August 12, 2026

New Euro banknotes: Maria Callas and Evros river represent Greece (see photos of all notes)

August 12, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα